The Truth About Compton
by Yvearia
Summary: A/U Sookie/Eric. Sookie is not so happily married to Vampire Bill, when she runs into a tall blonde mystery in Las Vegas. Little does she know the real mystery is about her husband, and solving it is a mater of her life or death! For Hepburn/Grant fans.
1. Divorce

A/N: This is my first A/U fic so please bare with me. It's a nod to Audry and Cary, a great on screen couple. I hope you enjoy and if there's anyone interested in where my inspiration comes from, PM me or you can check out Charade on IMDB. Let me know what you think =)

~Yve

***

Sookie paced back and fourth in the lobby at Ceasar's Palace. She was waiting with her sister Amelia for her nephew, Jason, to emerge from the magic shop in the coliseum. The trip had been Bill's idea – a sort of long overdue family vacation – until the damned computer database had kept him in New Orleans. How convenient.

"Amelia," she shuffled her feet nervously, even though she suspected Amelia would support her in whatever decision she made. "I'm getting a divorce."

"From Bill?" Amelia looked shocked and she tipped her latte over far enough that it began pouring out onto the tile floor.

"Amelia!" Sookie pointed to the puddle forming on the floor. Amelia stooped to mop it up with a few spare napkins. "Anyway, yes. He's the only husband I've got. I tried to make it work, but for the longest time we've been growing apart… I feel like we don't even know each other anymore."

"But do you really want a divorce? He's been begging you to spend more time in New Orleans. Maybe you could make it work if you moved there full time. Or, I mean with all the money and the stock options coming in from that software…"

Sookie shot her a reproving glance. "Really, Amelia? Does that sound like me – to stay in it for the money? I don't think so. I mean I hate the idea of divorce. But, honestly, I don't think I love him anymore. I don't think I've loved him for a long time. I thought after we got married there would be no more secrets, but everything about him is deceit and lies. I know he's hiding something from me. Something big."

"Is this yours?" A tall blond man strode forward with Jason in tow, protesting the whole way.

"He's hers," Sookie pointed to Amelia. "Where'd you find him, robbing a bank?"

"He was pulling magic coins out of a woman's cleavage. Nice trick, I have to say."

Amelia looked horrified, but eight year old Jason wore a grin from ear to ear. "Oh my God. I've gotta go apologize," Amelia sputtered, grabbing her son by the elbow. "Stay with me! Or I swear I'll make you hold my hand the rest of the trip."

"Do we know each other?" The tall man had taken a cue from Jason, smiling a toothy vampire smile down at her.

"I don't think so." She answered shakily. She new not to get involved with strange vampires – Bill had made sure to warn her of the numerous dangers. But for some reason this guy didn't seem threatening. Not yet.

"Maybe we should get to know each other then."

"Hmm. I know an awful lot of people and until one of them bites the dust, I couldn't possibly meet anyone else." She was instantly regretful of her phrasing. Better watch her mouth more closely. Fortunately, the vampire just shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, you'll let me know if anyone 'bites the dust'." He turned slightly on his heels as if to walk away. Sookie realized she was beginning to enjoy the attention from someone other than Amelia and hotel staff. She decided to stop him.

"Quitter."

He turned back to face her. "I'm Leif Joshua. And you are?" He inclined his head slightly, as if he were taking a little bow.

"Sookie Compton." She stopped herself short of sticking her hand out for him to shake. Vampires didn't do that. She smiled dumbly instead.

"Is there a Mr. Compton?"

"Yes."

"Good for him." Leif chuckled softly to himself and got a mischievous look in his eye.

"No it's not. We're getting a divorce." Sookie turned her lips down into an intense frown. She hadn't realized how terrible the word sounded until just then. Divorce. Her gran hadn't raised her to even consider getting a divorce. For that she blamed Bill. "But it's alright. I don't really love him. Is there a Mrs. Joshua?"

Leif thought she was blunt and quick witted. He liked that about her. "Yes, but we're divorced." His eyes began to light up with their own kind of smile to match the one on his lips. "Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Compton."

"Too bad we won't run into each other again. I'm flying back to Shreveport tomorrow." She didn't want the conversation to end. She felt drawn to the vampire for some reason. It was odd; their glamour had never worked on her.

"Oh, I'm flying back to Shreveport tonight myself, actually. I can't stand the day flights. Don't trust the baggage handlers, if you get my meaning." He was laying on all of the charm now.

"I think I understand. So, are you going to call me?"

"Are you listed?" He raised his eyebrows skeptically at her round about invitation.

"Bill is."

"Is there only one Bill Compton?" He laughed softly as he began backing away, heading back to his hotel room, leaving Sookie staring after him.

"Lord, I hope so," she sighed.


	2. Any Other Name

When Sookie arrived at the loft apartment she and Bill owned in Shreveport the next evening, something was wrong. She walked in to find the electricity cut off. All of the furniture was gone. There was only a few cardboard boxes and packing tape stowed in the corner. All the dishes were gone, the food, the cars, the electronics, Bill's Wii. The only clothing Sookie had left was what she had taken with her to Vegas. She ran up the stairs and into the bedroom, daring him to face her.

"Bastard! Son of a bitch!" she screamed as she made her way back to the stairs. She sat halfway down the stair and put her head in her hands and began to cry. Yes, she was going to come home and ask him for a divorce. Yes, it was a shitty thing to do, no matter how he had treated her, dropping it out of the blue. But this! This was cowardly. He was planning to leave and he waited until she was out of the state?

Now she was really angry. At least her way they both would have gotten closure. She wasn't about to let him take that from her. Just as she had made up her mind to dry her eyes and call Amelia, to start tracking the bastard down, a man appeared at the bottom of the stairs. She jumped a little before realizing that he was a uniformed officer.

"Mrs. Compton?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry ma'am. We meant to have someone meet you at the airport. I'm going to have to ask you to come with me."

"Is this about Bill?" she suddenly got a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Yes ma'am. Please come with me."

The officer led her to a special section of the parish building, next to the morgue labeled, vampire remains. It was funny – all she could think was that vampires don't leave remains to speak of. But the officer said it was where they stored vampire's belongings, articles of clothing, and other identifying artifacts until they could be claimed or logged as evidence depending on the circumstances of the vampire's final death.

In the small, square room were several rows of shelves on casters, lined up against the far wall, containing steel bins. There was a steel table, something like a surgical table, in the middle of the room and a small steel bin rested on its surface, waiting for her.

She planted her feet firmly several paces back from the table. She wasn't ready to see what would surely occupy the bin.

"Mrs. Compton?" An older man in a button down shirt and slacks, who had been waiting in the room, placed his hand gently on her arm and guided her forward. She reached the edge of the table, braced herself, and peered into the bin. She saw bill's dark slacks and white Henley, his worn square toed Clarks, and his keys and wallet.

"That's Bill."

"Are you sure, ma'am?" She nodded and turned away from the items in the container. That wasn't the truth. Those things weren't Bill. "You loved him?"

"Can we go? I'm cold."

In the detective's office she could sit on the sofa and sip her instant tea, while they told her the details of how Bill was discovered finally dead.

"He had booked a plane ticket to Ecuador. It left this morning. We supposed he would be traveling by vampire courier. We checked with Anubus and he had arranged for a coffin. There were several personal items stowed inside. I'll get Frank to bring them in here. Do you know why your husband would be wanting to leave the U.S., Mrs. Compton?"

"Leave? No."

"He was a war veteran?"

"Confederate."

"And how did he make his living?"

"I don't know. He didn't work." Vampire political agenda's weren't common human knowledge and Sookie still felt some allegiance to their race.

"He was rich?"

"I guess."

"Aren't most of them? – Sorry." The man looked ashamed, but only momentarily. "How rich would you say?"

"I don't know."

"Where did he keep his money?"

"I don't know."

"But you were his wife."

"Doesn't sound much like it." The detective looked at her strangely. She probably shouldn't have said that. Just then and officer came in carrying a brown paper bag, marked 'Evidence – Bill Compton'.

"Five days ago, Mr. Compton sold the entire contents of your loft at public auction. The amount, paid out in cash by the auction house, totaled 2.8 million dollars. Officers have searched through these things, the belongings found on Mr. Compton's person, and the travel coffin arranged for him at the airport. No cash in sight." The man, Detective Snow, began pulling items out of the evidence bag. "You saw his wallet and keys – they'll be returned to you. As will a lot of this… we haven't found much of use here. PDA, last entry yesterday says, 'Freret Market, 8 PM'. Why the market?"

"Maybe he was meeting somebody," Sookie was quiet as she stared down into the Styrofoam cup.

"More than likely. One ticket to Ecuador. A letter, stamped and unsealed, addressed to 'Sookie'." He held the letter out to her over the desk. She leaned forward to take it.

Dearest Sookie,  
I hope that you are enjoying your trip with Amelia and Jason. Take in a few shows while you are there. I hear Cirque De Soleil is amazing. I look forward to seeing you in a few days. My apologies again for not being able to join you.  
You'll forgive me.  
Bill

"Not much of a clue." She wrinkled her nose at the coldness and cordiality of the note. Not even an, 'I love you'.

"No. It isn't. Also, there's this USB jump drive – wiped clean – and a Grateful Dead CD." She shook her head. That was Bill to a tee.

"Can I take these with me? I'd really like to get back home." But she really had no idea why. The loft was empty.

"Yeah. One more question, Mrs. Compton. Is this your husbands passport?" He produced a worn passport with Bill's picture that identified him as a vampire circa the 1860's. It was one of the stipulations of the VRA. Vampires were allowed equal rights as long as they agreed to be held to equal accountability. And that meant drivers licenses and passports, among other things.

"Yes." She barely had to glance at the picture to identify it was his.

"And this one?" Snow pulled out another passport with an identical picture, but a different name. Sookie's eyes widened and her mouth fell open in an 'oh' of surprise. "And these?" He produced three more passports, all bearing different names. No wonder the police were so interested in Bill. Liar.


	3. Wonder What's Next

Sookie returned to the empty loft toting Bill's clothing and other personal items with her. The sun was down now and the electricity was still off. She made her way around the first floor by the streetlight coming in the windows. She still couldn't believe it. What would make him sell all their things? He had plenty of money. She checked a few of the kitchen cabinets again. They were still empty.

She hadn't called Amelia, but she would soon. She needed her old job back and her sister could talk to Sam for her. Before she met Bill they had worked together in a little bar on the outskirts of Shreveport. Sam owned the place, and had begun dating Amelia once it was clear Sookie was off the market. She hoped this wouldn't cause in problems for the two of them. She still wasn't interested in Sam. Just then she heard the front door creaking open.

She turned quickly to see the blonde man from yesterday standing on the other side of the threshold.

"Leif?" She stood with relief at seeing a somewhat familiar face. "What are you doing here? Oh, please come in," she added when she realized why he was still standing outside the loft. He smiled slightly, almost kindly as he crossed the threshold.

"I called but no one answered. Sorry," he said. And he genuinely was, but still, something was off about the way he said it. "Is there anything I can do?"

"How'd you know?"

"It's on the news and all over the internet." That made sense. Bill was well known around town as 'Vampire Bill' and even somewhat liked. Sookie hadn't turned on a computer or television all day. Leif looked around her apartment as if just now noticing how empty it was. "Moving?"

"I guess Bill was. There was a whole houseful of things when I left for Vegas." She sighed heavily. She was feeling very defeated but didn't really want to dwell on it. "Looks like he sold it all."

"I can see why you were getting divorced." Sookie couldn't tell if he was trying to make her laugh or just stating the obvious – if Bill had pulled the rug out from under her feet like this, he obviously didn't care much about her, did he? She laughed anyway and seemed to take the vampire off guard a little. "What are you going to do?"

"Get my old job back, waitressing at Merlotte's. You heard of it?" He got a sour look on his face, as if he just smelled something rotten.

"Yes. Waiting tables…" He shook his head.

"It's what I did before I met Bill. The cops probably think I killed him for the money."

"Did you?" She hadn't expected that, but it was a fair question.

"No. I didn't love him anymore, but I didn't hate him. I'd never want to see anybody staked. That must be a terrible way to die. I came home hoping we could part ways like adults. But everything was gone, and now Bill's gone, and…" She couldn't help it. She hadn't shed a tear since she found out and the stress was finally getting to her. She began crying softly.

Leif stood uncomfortably for a few moments before stepping closer. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Come on. You can't stay here. Let's find you someplace a little more accommodating."

"I couldn't intrude on you, and I can't afford a hotel." She looked up at him as she dried her eyes.

"Yes you can. I know a Shifter who owns a hotel he's renovating. You can stay there. He won't mind. He's still booking a few rooms as the floors are completed. Are these your things?" He motioned to the two suitcases she had brought home with her from the airport.

"Yeah, I guess I'm already packed." It would be better for her to stay at a hotel than with Amelia and Sam, anyway. She'd call them once she got settled in. She didn't look forward to explaining to Jason about his 'Uncle Bill'.

Two nights later a small service was held in the local Unitarian church. It was one of the few churches that had begun to accept vampire members, and though Bill had been a Methodist in life, and somewhat agnostic in death, Sookie wanted his service in a church; it was this or nothing. Vampire funerals weren't that common, especially in the bible belt, and there were only a few attendants. Amelia came to be with Sookie, while Sam watched Jason. There were the funeral directors, and Detective Snow, but they were strangers really.

As Sookie began to wonder if anyone else would show up a man walked through the back of the chapel dressed in high water slacks a short sleeve white button down and a pair of coke bottle glasses with tape on the earpieces. He moved silently to the front of the room where Bill's portrait sat on display. He studied it for a moment before turning to nod at Sookie and take a seat in one of the back pews.

"You know him?" Amelia whispered.

"Never seen him before in my life."

"He must have known Bill pretty well." Amelia smiled to herself. "He's a fellow nerd."

A few moments later two more men walked through the double doors at the back of the room. Sookie couldn't help turning to look. There was a tall, well dressed African American man, and an average looking, angry white man making their way to the front. The black gentleman stopped in front of Sookie and inclined his head in respect.

"Mrs. Compton? Mrs. Compton, ma'am?"

"Yes?"

"It's a shame Bill had to go that way, ma'am. Cowardly. I'm sorry for your loss." She gave him a quizzical look, but before she could pose a question he walked back up the aisle and took a seat across from the nerdy one.

The angry man stood in front of the portrait, practically fuming. "No way to know of course," he muttered under his breath.

"Know what," Amelia whispered to me. I shrugged.

"To know if he's finally dead!" The man turned and stormed out the back of the chapel.

Once the service was over and Sookie had said her thank you's to the few guests who remained (the mystery men had left before she could reach them), she walked out to Amelia's car and checked her phone for missed calls.

"Huh," she said as she listened to her only message. Amelia looked at her questioningly. "The AVL called me. An agent Seth Byron. He wants to meet tomorrow night and discuss Bill."


	4. Bureaucracy At It's Finest

A/N: First let me appologize. This is really frustrating, but I can't seem to remember, or be able to locate in Mrs. Harris' original work, the last name of the character Clancy. If anyone remembers, please PM me and I will be more than glad to correct the omission in this chapter. Secondly, to clear up a bit of confusion - when Sookie says in Ch 2, "That wasn't the truth. Those things weren't Bill" she wasn't implying that Bill is still alive, only that his possessions did not constitute who he was. Bill _has_ met his final death, as some of you were wondering if that was the case. This will also be the last chapter for a couple of days (though I think I've had the most fun writing this one - fans of the movie will know why), since I have several more chapters to complete for **I Know You're Dead **- my sequal to **Dead Promises**. I also need a little bit of a break. I think my writing is suffering because I've been under house arrest due to the nasty weather here in Texas.

So enjoy this one, and if you get bored, check out some of my other material here or on my blog (link in my profile).

Love

***

Sookie took a taxi to the American Vampire League branch building in downtown Shreveport around six o'clock the next night. It was barely full dark ?when she arrived and took the elevator up to the sixth floor and the vampire financial acquisitions department. Room 603-A was labeled S. Byron, and the door was cracked. She peeked inside at an empty office.

"Mr. Byron?" she glanced around the room for a door leading into an inner office or a bathroon. There was none. "Hello?"

"Ah, you must be Sookie." She turned to see a tall man standing in the door way she had just walked through.

"Mrs. Compton, please," she corrected as she extended her hand in greeting. She would usually prefer her more familiar first name, but this seemed to be out of place under the circumstances. The man looked at her hand with disdain and she realized he was a vampire. Why wouldn't he be, working at the AVL? She pulled her arm back and placed her hands in her coat pockets.

"Please take a seat." He motioned to a plush chair in front of his desk. She moved forward and sank into the soft cushion. "Do you know what we do here, Miss Stackhouse?" He walked around the desk to take a seat himself.

"You represent the vampires of the U.S. in political movements and social activism." It was the tagline for the AVL. She, along with the rest of America, had memorized it by the end of the second year the vampires had gone public.

"No, Miss Stackhouse. This department specifically. Vampire Financial Acquisitions. We are sort of like the IRS. We monitor and regulate vampire financial holdings. We make sure the tributes due to each state are not abused or misappropriated. The Kings and Queens used to deal with these issues on their own, but we've taken a cue from your human government and sometimes there's a call for bureaucracy." He flashed a wicked grin.

"I'm sorry, but you keep calling me 'Miss Stackhouse'. My name is Compton. Are you sure you know why I'm here?"

"Yes, my apologies Mrs. Compton. I called you last night. You are here to discuss Bill with me." He waited as if she should speak next. But she didn't know what to say. "Your husband was wanted for questioning by this department in conjunction with some funds that have gone missing. Please take a look at this photo and tell me if you recognize anyone." He pulled a photo from a file on his desk.

From the looks of it, the photo had been taken some time during the last year or so. The lighting must have been terrible when the shot was taken, as the photo was very dark. Sookie could just make out Bill's face, nearly obscured by shadow.

"That's Bill. No wonder it's so dark. This was taken at night, huh?" He and three other men appeared to be standing outside of some kind of bar on the famous Bourbon Street.

"Take a look at the others, please, Miss… Mrs. Compton." The man turned on the desk lamp and handed the photograph to Sookie so she could get a better view.

"Those men. All three of them were at the funeral yesterday. When was this photo taken?"

"Mardis Gras a year ago." Right on the money. Bill had been in New Orleans helping the queen with… "Do you recognize any of these men?"

"No. Should I? Bill didn't exactly make a habit of introducing me to his business associates."

"I am afraid, Mrs. Compton, that you are in a great deal of danger."

"Mr. Byron, If you're trying to scare me, you should know that I don't scare easily." But it was bravado and nothing else that kept her from shaking out of her shoes. She had been able to count on Bill to keep her relatively safe and out of trouble as far as the vampires were concerned. Now he was gone. And what kind of mess had he gotten her into? "What is all this about? You haven't really told me anything useful."

Byron looked at her quizzically. "You don't mean you didn't know about the money? The 2.8 million."

"Yes, that's the money Bill made at the auction. I don't understand what it has to do with these three men."

"That's where things begin to get complicated, Mrs. Compton. William Compton, Stan Davis, Maxwell Lee, and Clancy the Vampire were all collaborators on the Vampire Identification database prototype. The same prototype your husband sold to the Queen of Louisiana last year, for 2.8 million dollars. It seems they've been overlooked in the distribution of that payoff, and they want the money back."

"But, I don't understand where you come into all of this, Mr. Byron, and the Vampire Financial Acquisitions Department for that matter." Sookie's head was beginning to spin. All these people, and all that money. What had been going on with Bill?

"You see, that program wasn't Bill's to sell. It wasn't any of theirs. They are looking for a payoff they weren't rightfully entitled to. The program belonged to the VFA, Mrs. Compton. We were preparing to market this program to the highest bidder, but Compton got it to the Queen before we had a chance to shop it around. Well, it's out there now, and that money belongs to us. You can see the kind of predicament that puts us all in, Mrs. Compton?" His smile was soft and threatening at the same time.

"You think these vampires killed Bill to get to that money?"

"We do. And we don't believe they've been very successful either, or else they would be as far from Louisiana as is physically possible. Now, if you could kindly hand over the money to the VFA, we can offer you guaranteed protection from these vampires."

"Well, I don't have it!" Sookie was beside herself now, trying to image where 2.8 million dollars could possibly have disappeared to.

"You must have it, Mrs. Compton. You're the last link to Bill."

"Believe me, If I had 2.8 million dollars just lying around I'd sure as hell know it. As far as I knew, when Bill died I had the clothes on my back. He sold everything while I was out of the state. No, if it's still around, I can't imagine where." Her hands were shaking now.

"I believe you when you say he didn't tell you. And you may not know where that money is, Mrs. Compton, but you have it somewhere. I'm certain of it. Just look for it, you'll find it." She began shaking her head and Mr. Byron held his hand up to stop her. "A safety deposit box key, a certified check, a coffin compartment. You'll find it," he repeated. "And you're to call me as soon as you do. Here's my personal number. If it's daylight hours leave a message. And tell no one that we have discussed this, or even met. It could prove fatal for us both."

The thought of that sent chills down Sookie's spine, but it didn't seem to scare Byron as much as she thought it should. She took his card and collected herself before walking out the door and to the elevator.


	5. Distractions

Once Sookie got back to her hotel room, she took a shower and decided to phone Leif. She needed a distraction and from the looks of him, Leif was as good a distraction as any. He said he knew of a little club they could go to and probably see a decent show. He came by the hotel room at eight thirty on the dot.

They didn't say much in the elevator on the way down. When they reached the front door she expected to take a cab to their destination, but a nervous looking valet rushed to return a set of corvette keys to the vampire on her arm and he motioned to the car. Nice ride.

They pulled up outside a converted warehouse on Industrial Dr. and the sign out front read 'Black Sheep Comedy Club'. "It's owned by a friend of mine. He runs several other clubs in the area. Maybe I'll introduce you sometime." He smiled down at her with that mischievous little sparkle.

The interior of the club was eclectic and relaxed, a good mix between a hometown bar and something more mainstream. There was a stage up front and soon after their drinks had been delivered the comic took the floor. He was easy to relate to and funny.

"I found out my favorite band were coming to Glasgow. I'm thirteen years old and my favorite band are Deep Purple. You remember Deep Purple? Yeah, yeah everybody remembers Deep Purple. So I get my ticket, and this is back when you get your ticket like six months in advance – you put it up on the wall and you drool about it. And I realize – in order to enjoy this rock and roll show I'm gonna need drugs. It's the 1970's in Glasgow. You couldn't really get drugs at that time. This is pre-_Trainspotting_, it's all changing. So I didn't have any access to drugs! What was I gonna do? But – I did know a guy who's older brother worked at a hospital. This is true, and he had access to chloroform! Ah, I see you've heard of him!"

She was enjoying the act but those two gin and tonics had started to get to her. She made her excuse to Leif and headed for the ladies room. One thing that all clubs and bars in the area seemed to have in common was a single toilet. Luckily a lady was just leaving as Sookie approached the door. She entered as she turned to look the door a strong black hand pushed it open on her. It was the vampire Mr. Byron had identified as Maxwell Lee.

Before she could scream out, his large hand was covering her mouth and he was locking the door with both of them squeezed into the tiny space. The vampire finally uncovered her mouth and bowed his head to her a bit. "Hello, Mrs. Compton."

"What do you want?" It took all her will not to scream, but she knew how quickly he could crush her windpipe.

"You know what I want, Mrs. Compton."

"No. I don't. I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, but…"

"Oh, yes you do, Mrs. Compton, and you're going to give it to me." He reached inside his jacket and retrieved an old revolver. He began spinning the barrel. "Now there's only one bullet in this gun. You like gambling?" Sookie began to tremble. All that nerve she had worked up not to scream was dissolving fast.

"No, please!" She blurted out. She could see his finger releasing the safety.

"Now, you just be quiet Mrs. Compton."

"Please stop!" She was nearly sobbing now.

"It could be a whole lot worse." He lowered the gun and placed his free hand gently on her throat. "That money belongs to me, Mrs. Compton, and if you don't give it to me… well, you're life will mean less than a meal to me. Think about it." He released a pale and trembling Sookie, turned to unlock the door, and left the ladies room.

Sookie took a second to work up the courage to check the hallway. She stuck her head out. Nobody. She leaned back in and shut the door. Mr. Byron had given her his card and she began serching through her purse for it. Harassment by one of the outlaw vamps seemed like something she should tell him about. Suddenly the door opened and Sookie jumped up from her seat on the toilet, dumping her purse on the floor.

"What are you doing in here?" It was Leif.

"Having a nervous breakdown."

"Come on. Let's get you out of here. I'll get the car." He steered her toward the exit and told her to wait while he pulled the car around. She was standing staring up at the crisp sky when she felt someone place a hand on her shoulder. She whipped around to see the computer nerd vampire – Stan.

"Mrs. Comp…"

"What do you people want?" She interrupted him. He began to smile.

"Didn't Bill tell you? We want the money, Mrs. Compton." Sookie began shaking her head in defiance and looking around the parking lot for Leif. "You know it doesn't belong to you, don't you?"

"I don't know anything."

"Think about it Mrs. Compton. You could be dead tomorrow. And I don't mean like me. Think about Bill. You know what happens when vampires get staked? That wouldn't happen to you, but it would kill you just the same."

Sookie had had her limit of intimidation tonight. "Stop it!" Without thinking she slammed her spiked heal down on Stan's foot. He grimaced and dropped his fangs. Her eyes began to dilate as she realized her mistake.

"Sookie? What's wrong?" Leif stepped out of the driver's door of the corvette. He looked ready to spit nails.

"Nothing. He was stepping on my foot."

"I apologize. It was quite unintentional."

Leif bundled her into the car and they headed back to the hotel. They didn't speak most of the way, but as they were nearing the last block he spoke out. "Tell me what's going on, Sookie." It sounded slightly forceful, but she had been shaken up tonight. She was probably overreacting.

"I don't know if I can. He told me not to." She sank deeper into the cozy seat and leaned her head against the cool glass of the window.

"Who told you?"

"That's what I can't say!" She was getting more and more frustrated the more she thought of Bill or Byron, or the three vampire thugs. And now Leif was no relief either.

"Sookie, stop this!" That took her off guard. She turned her head sharply to look at him, but he kept his eyes on the road. "It's ridiculous. If you're in trouble with someone, I want to know about it." He said it firmly but not forcefully. Still he wasn't on her best side right now.

"Stop bullying me, everyone's bullying me." She slumped her shoulders and turned back to face the window. He was quiet as he handed the keys off to the valet once more. He helped her out of the car and walked into the lobby with her. "Being murdered is _not_ ridiculous. You should try it some – oh. Sorry." She let out a little giggle as Leif grinned wider, showing a bit of fang. "Will you walk me to my door?"

"Sure." He accompanied her to the elevator and began humming along to the music as they rode up the ten floors.

She liked how the close quarters of the elevator car caused him to stand close. She could smell his cologne, and feel the cool seem to emanate from him. It reminded her a little of Bill, but she chose not to dwell on that just now. "This is a good place for making friends." She smiled up at him.

"So, any idea what your dearly departed was into?"

"Huh? What kind of cologne are you wearing?" She wasn't trying very hard to shake the spell she was falling under.

"Bill. What's the root of all of this craziness?"

The elevator doors opened and for a minute Sookie contemplated asking him into her hotel room. She'd never asked anyone into her hotel room before. "Hey, can we, for just one second pretend that I'm a woman, and you're a…"

"Vampire?" He waggled his eyebrows as he ushered her into the hall. "I know, that was a bad joke. We're here."

"Where?"

"Your room. Or hadn't you noticed?"

"How would you like to come in for a drink?" She couldn't believe she was saying this. But she wasn't sorry.

"You're probably not even legal drinking age. How would you like a spanking?" There was nothing flirtatious about the way he said it.

"Stop treating me like a child!" This was becoming less fun by the minute.

"Then stop acting like one!"

Her jaw just about hit the floor. She tried to come up with something intelligent to say, but she couldn't seem to think. Leif began moving closer backing her up against the hallway wall. He braced his hands on the wall to either side of her, leaning closer to her face.

"If you're in some kind of trouble, it would be nice to hear about it." His voice was a low whisper that only she would be privileged to hear. It made her dizzy. "I think I like you. And I'd like to help if I can, but I'm not going to stand around playing games all night." He pushed off from the wall and turned on his heels toward the elevator.

"You know what's wrong with you?" Sookie called after him.

"What's that?"

"Absolutely nothing."

"Not really." He turned to give her a toothy grin before she slid her room key through the reader.


	6. Deceit

A/N: Ok. First, I apologize for all of the grammatical and spelling errors that have been made over the course of my writing (in this as well as other fics). I have no Beta and my husband refuses to proofread for me anymore. I can usually catch the errors, but I write late at night, sometimes up until six or seven in the morning and my fuzzy brain tends to overlook things. So please forgive these small errors and I'll do my best to clean them up as I find them.

Also, I'm so excited that you like Craig's cameo last chapter. I thought of making up a vampire bit for him concerning his glow in the dark dracula, but it wouldn't have been true Craig. I am having such fun writing this one! For those of you who like the plot I strongly suggest watching _Charade _(1963). It's the meat of the story and plot, and I cannot take credit for it.

Enjoy the twists and turns this time (Oh, wait. There will be twists and turns pretty much from here on out).

-Yve

***

Sookie opened the door to chaos in her hotel room. The chairs in the sitting area had been overturned and the bed linens were strewn across the floor. One suitcase had been upended on the bed and the clothes riffled through, while the other was in a similar state on the floor next to the open balcony door. The cool air was rushing in and fluttering the sheer curtains into the room.

"Jesus, Shepherd of Judea!" Sookie gasped and began searching through her purse for Agent Byron's card again. And, again, she was interrupted. Seconds after she spoke the vampire Clancy emerged from her bathroom.

"Where is it, Bitch? Where've you got it?" He stepped forward quickly and forcefully, wrapping his free hand around her neck. He clutched the bag of Bill's possessions in his other hand. Sookie had to think quickly. Though he was demanding an answer, the enraged vampire was quickly cutting off her air supply.

"I don't know!" she croaked, barely audible to her own ears. Her hand still clutched her purse, fingers searching for anything she could use as defense against him. She glimpsed Bill's name scrawled on the paper bag in Clancy's hand and suddenly remembered one of his anniversary gifts to her. She'd had to be careful to keep it out of the way the past two years. She reached deeper into her purse and pulled out the silver key fob he had given her for just such an occasion. _Because there may be a time when I cannot protect you from them_, he had said. She thought it was weird at the time. She couldn't rehash it now.

With her last bit of strength, close to passing out, she held the palm-sized silver disk in her hand and shoved it up into the offender's face. He let out a blood-curdling scream and released her as she sprang for the door.

"Leif! Leif, there's a… there's a… He tried to kill me!" She ran screaming toward the elevators. Without a word Leif turned from the opening elevator doors and threw himself down the hallway and into Sookie's room. She hesitated in the hallway for a few moments before anger at being attacked and curiosity got the better of her. It was awfully quiet in the room. She cautiously made her way down the hall and peered in through the open door. It appeared empty, but to be safe she readjusted her hold on the silver key fob before stepping further in. After a thorough inspection, she sank to the floor in front of the bed. They were both gone. She hoped Leif knew what he was doing.

Clancy had already scaled the side of the building by the time Leif made it into the room and out to the balcony. He looked back to see if Sookie had followed him. Not so far. Stepping up onto the balcony railing he pushed off and floated upward and over two more balcony entrances to another opened door. He landed silently on the concrete outside, listening to the three vampires arguing in the room in front of him.

"That was a goddamned stupid thing to do, Clancy. Don't you think at all or isn't there a brain in that pretty head of yours?" Stan was pacing back and forth in front of the window on the opposite side of the room.

"Well, I hadn't seen either of you making any progress." Clancy whined like a child being scolded.

Maxwell spoke up then. "If you had informed us that was your plan, we could have kept them busy. What did you think he was going to do when he came to her rescue? Offer you a blood?"

"Yes, what choice did you leave me, Clancy?" Leif stepped into the room from the balcony. They all turned to face him slightly on guard. "Oh, I didn't surprise you, did I?" He walked across the room to the mini fridge and grabbed a bottle of blood. "Blood, Clancy?"

"Never mind that," Stan stepped forward. "Did you get the money?"

"How could you expect me to with the three of you breathing down her back? You said I would do this alone. The girl trusts me. Let me work my magic. I'll get it from her. I always make good on my promises." Leif laughed to himself as he took a sip from his bottle of blood.

"No!" Clancy began shaking his head at Leif defiantly. "We're the one's who were in this from the beginning. We took all the risks with Louisiana. That money is ours. Not his!"

"Maybe you forgot who took car of the illusive Mr. Compton!" Leif took only two steps forward, closing the gap between himself and Clancy and towering over the younger vampire threateningly.

"Yeah, and this breaks the shares back to four. Three was enough. I say he's out!" Clancy dropped his fangs to their full length and let out a defiant growl.

"One-third of nothing is nothing, Clancy." Leif smiled. "Make up your mind quickly. She's waiting for me."

"He'll agree to it. Clancy's too greedy to walk away from that kind of pay off, even if it is a couple hundred grand short." Stan motioned for Clancy to leave his hotel room. The infuriated vampire stalked to the door, turning around before exiting.

"He'll be getting it out of your share, Stan, not mine!" With that he slammed the door and left the three vampires to finish their conversation.

"Who's got the room next to hers?" Leif asked. Maxwell held up his keycard. "Give it to me and get another one. I have to do damage repair." He grabbed the keycard and turned to float back down to Sookie's balcony.

"You won't forget to let us know when you get your fangs on that money, will you?" Maxwell placed his hand on Leif's shoulder. He shrugged it off. "Of course not, gentlemen. Now if you'll excuse me." And he was out of the room, leaving Maxwell and Stan staring out the balcony door.

Sookie heard the door close softly from the inside the bathroom. She decided she could have closed and locked it but that wouldn't have done much to keep a vampire out. There was a knock on the bathroom door and she clutched her weapon tighter.

"It's Leif."

She launched herself at the door, opening it and throwing her arms around the six foot four vampire standing on the other side. He rumbled deeply in his chest before pushing her gently off.

"He was gone. I lost his scent halfway through downtown. When are you going to tell me what this is all about?" He looked down at her sternly. He had just saved her life, hadn't he? He was the best chance she had for protection. Might as well let him know what he was protecting her from.

"There are three vampires – you saw them all tonight – and they want something they think Bill gave to me. Only I don't have it!"

"What do they want?" He took her by the hand and led her to the bed, shoving the clothes and suitcase to the floor so she could sit down.

"Oh, just 2.8 million dollars."

"Just that?" He raised his eyebrows and snorted softly as if he was amused. "What else, Sookie?" She shook her head in confusion. "Where's the money?" He was being blunt, but she guessed dancing around the issue wouldn't do them any good at this point. She could be blunt too.

"I have no _effing_ clue!" She shook her head and flopped back onto the bed. "And they were obviously the one's who killed Bill."

"But they think he left it with you…"

"Yeah, but he didn't. I have no idea where that money is. And if I don't find it… The one with the glasses. He said he'd stake me, kill me like they killed Bill." She had been through so much tonight, she couldn't help it. Tears began to fall. She felt a weight on the bed next to her. Then arms began to pull her up against a broad chest.

"No they won't," Leif growled. "I won't let them."

Sookie looked at the vampire she was snuggled against. He was wearing dress jeans and a nice, grey silk sweater. Good dresser. And he smelled like heaven. "Uh oh. I got your sweater all wet." She sniffled a few times, beginning to calm down after feeling protected in his arms.

"It's a drip-dry." He huffed again, that half laugh half sigh that she was beginning to like so much. She snuggled deeper into his arms.

"Promise me you'll never lie to me the way Bill did. Why do people tell lies?" Leif got a pained look on his face, but it was gone in seconds.

"Most of the time it's because they want something that they know the truth won't accomplish."

"Do you tell lies?" Just as she turned her face up to his, her cell phone began ringing. "Sorry," she apologized. "Hello?"

"Mrs. Compton, this is Clancy. You know who I am."

"What do you want?"

"Who is it?" Leif asked as she stood up from his lap.

"The vampire you followed."

"Is Madden with you?" Clancy hissed from the other end of the line.

"Who?" Sookie was so confused. It was a name she didn't recognize.

"The vampire who followed me. His name is Madden, or didn't he tell you? Is he with you?" Sookie swallowed hard and hopped she hadn't lost all her color right in front of… Leif – Madden?

"Uhhuh," she muttered into the phone, now gripping it tightly to her ear.

"What's he saying?" Leif asked. She just shook her head.

"Don't trust him. He's after the money." Before Sookie could say anything else, Clancy hung up. She closed her phone and slipped it back into her pocket, staring silently at the stranger in her room, trying not to look terrified.

"What did he say?"

"He said if I don't find the money, he's going to kill me." She walked across the room to begin picking up the piles of clothes and overturned furniture. Anything to keep busy, look normal.

"Remember I said I wouldn't let that happen." Leif moved closer to her, hesitated a moment, the turned to the door. "I arranged to have the room next to you. If you need anything, knock on the wall. There's even a connecting door. Get some sleep. I'll see you in the evening."


	7. Madden

Sookie heard the door click shut. She stood, motionless in the midst of the chaos that still remained of her things. She had to think quickly. It hadn't sounded like a threat when the vampire said he would be next door, but she had no question about why. His intension was to be close, so he could watch her. She was sure of it. She didn't have a car, and doubted her abilities to shake him even if she did. She would have to get creative and do her research from here, and quietly. Vampires were notorious for heightened auditory abilities.

What would she be doing if she hadn't gotten that phone call right now? Probably cleaning up this mess – so that's what she decided to do, just in case he was listening next door. She took her time refolding every piece of clothing. She remade the bed as best she could, knowing maid service would take care of it properly in the morning. Then, as quietly as she could, she sorted through her purse in search of that damn card. She turned the TV on to TMC where they were showing an old Robert Redford flick,_ This Property Is Condemned_. She slide her cell phone out of her pocket, and prayed that Agent Byron's number was a cell phone. Nervously she began typing a quick text to him.

_Mr. Byron, this is Sookie Compton. Can't call, someone may be listening. But there is another man that wasn't in the picture you showed me. He said his name was Leif Joshua, but it isn't. It's Madden. Do you anything about him?_

She hit send and waited nervously for a response. After what seemed like forever (only about three minutes), her cell phone buzzed with a new text.

_I don't know who this Mr. Madden is, but I could be wrong about who killed your husband. Let me look into it. I'll see what I can find out. Can you describe him?_

Sookie could do better than that. She had snapped a few shot with her phone at the comedy club earlier. She picked the best picture she could find – 'Leif' in profile ginning widely at something the comedian had said. She sent the picture in response to Byron and once again, waited impatiently.

She decided to leave the television on and go run a bath in the tub. Anything that would cause noise interference would be useful and she could try to relax a bit. After about ten minutes of sitting in the steaming water her phone, once again buzzed. She opened the message eagerly.

_That man is most certainly not Victor Madden. _That was a name she'd never heard before, but she continued reading. _Victor Madden was the fifth member of your husband's software development team. Victor wanted to sell the software to Las Vegas, but the others didn't agree. After the negotiations with Queen Sophie-Anne, Victor's home state of Nevada launched a coup against the late Queen, as you know. Both sides lost vampires that night and Victor Madden met his final death, gunned down by silver bullets and left for the sun. So you see, this man cannot be Victor Madden._

Sookie shook her head, feeling like she was falling deeper down the rabbit hole. _So, if he's not Victor, then who is he? And why does he want that money?_

His response was quicker this time._ If 2.8 million dollars were up for grabs, wouldn't you want it, Mrs. Compton? Don't go getting any ideas, mind you. As for who this 'Madden' is, he could be anybody, but he's certainly very dangerous. Be very careful Mrs. Compton. Perhaps you are in a position to discover his true identity. Any information you could give us will be helpful in assuring your safety. _

She thought about it for a moment before replying. _Couldn't he really be Victor Madden? I mean nobody actually saw him die, and he wasn't staked or decapitated. He could still be alive._

The reply from Byron was almost immediate. _No, that's impossible, Mrs. Compton. Victor is dead. Ashes were found and he has not since resurfaced. He would have turned up on the radar sometime. Your husbands program even confirms him as finally dead. You're our best insider on this. He trusts you. Se what you can find, and be in touch._

Sookie tossed the cell phone onto a pile of towels. In for a penny, in for a pound. She shook her head and sunk down deeper into the water.

She slept late into the afternoon, waking and getting ready for a day away from the hotel. She drove out to Merlotte's to visit Amelia and arrange to begin work again in a few days. Then it was back to Shreveport to wait for her mystery vamp to rise and begin his nightly routine. She settled herself in the Starbucks adjacent to the hotel and waited until after dark. It was the perfect spot for surveillance. There was a door leading between the hotel lobby and the coffee shop, and while the lobby was open and spacious, there were all sorts of displays and tables to cover her from sight in the shop. She could see directly to the front desk.

She sipped her mocha and waited for a tall blonde vampire to appear at the concierge station. Shortly after dark, she was rewarded.

Madden walked over to the concierge, a petite brunette this evening, and very nice to look at. He put on his best smile and leaned over the desk slightly locking the girl with his gaze. "Have there been any messages for room 1026?"

"No, sir. Nothing this evening." She smiled brightly at him, blushing slightly.

"My friend, Mrs. Compton was staying next door. Have you seen her recently?"

Her smile began to fade at the mention of his 'friend'. "She left late this afternoon to run some errands, we called her a cab. I haven't seen her in a few hours, Mr. Madden." Her phone began ringing and she excused herself to answer it. He was turning to walk toward the exit when the young woman spoke his name. "Mr. Madden? There's a telephone call for you," she was holding the receiver out to him. He turned back and took it from her hand.

"Yes."

"Good evening, Mr. Madden." His smile disappeared instantly.

"Sookie?"

She could see him standing at the desk, tethered there by the telephone cord. She began walking out the exit to the street. "It's the only name I've got. How about you?"

"So I'm caught red handed? Sorry to disappoint you. What do you want me to tell you?" Madden was gripping the phone in frustration. He knew she had her suspicions thanks to Clancy, but he was counting on her being too afraid to confront him.

"Why you lied to me."

"I needed to know how involved you were. You could have been on their side. You can't blame me for being cautious."

"Ok. So now I know you were lying to me. How about you tell me who you really are?" Sookie turned the corner of the block, not wanting to go too far, but trying to keep her distance in case she needed to get away in a hurry.

"You said it yourself. My name is Madden." He was growing tired of this, but trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

"Victor Madden is dead."

How had she found out that little bit of information? "Yes, he is. I'm his brother."

"What? How's that possible? Being a vampire isn't exactly a family trait." Sookie had heard of vampire families, where husbands had turned wives, sisters had turned brothers, but she was sure that was pretty uncommon. What were the chances?

"He turned me only a few months after his turning. Blood ties are strong. The AVL thinks he was killed in the coup for Louisiana, but I think they did it – Stan, Maxwell and Clancy – because he wanted the program for Nevada, and when they wouldn't go along with him, he sold them out to King Felipe. It's a high offense in our society and I'm trying to prove it. They think I'm working with them for a cut of the money, but that's not my agenda, Sookie. You have to believe me."

"How can you expect me to? You lied to me, just like Bill. But I guess you never actually promised you wouldn't, did you? What's your real name, by the way? It'd be nice to know. Hello? Hello?" There was silence on the other end she thought her phone might have dropped the call.

After calling his cell phone twice with no answer, she decided to go back up to the room and wait there.

Clancy's hands were protected by a pair of leather gloves. Not a good sign. He pulled the gun out of his pocket once he and Madden began moving along the street.

"Silver bullets, Madden. Though you'd probably already guessed." He shoved the gun up against Madden's spine. It wouldn't take many shots in that area to take him out of the equation.

"Where are we going, Clancy?" Madden had abandoned the phone when he saw Clancy making his way through the lobby. He had a bloodthirsty look on his face, and it had been better to go willingly than to cause any kind of collateral damage here in the hotel.

"We're going somewhere cozy, to have a little chat."

He steered Madden around the block towards the back and the service entrance to the hotel. They boarded the freight elevator and rode up to the 17th floor, one that was still being renovated. The workers had left the sight before dark and it was now deserted.

They entered a long hallway with a floor to ceiling window overlooking the street entrance to the hotel.

"Turn around," Clancy ordered.

"Nice view. Now what?" Madden already had an idea where this was going.

"Now I'm going to give you a chance you would never give me. Tell me where the money is!"

"You're joking. You're wasting our time. She has it and I could be working on her right now, not fucking around with…"

"And what if you both have it?" Clancy yelled interrupting him. "Last chance, Madden. Where is it?"

"Even if I knew where the money is, what the hell makes you think I'd give it up to you. You know, I've never much liked you, Clancy. You're just a means to an end. What do you think Stan and Maxwell will do when you disappear with the entire take?"

"That's it! Stop talking!" Clancy was visibly upset now. He reached into his coat and pulled out a delicate silver net. "I could put a bullet in your spine, but I'd risk getting blood all over my suit. How would you like to see the sun once more before you die?"

Madden had only fractions of a second to make his move. Clancy cast the net into the air with one hand while keeping the gun trained on him with the other. There was a stack of scrap wood leaning against the wall next to the window, and Madden cast his hand out for the two by four closest to him. He caught the edge of the net with the wood and tossed it to the ground. The net whipped around and caught him on the exposed edge of his face before falling lifeless on the floor, sending pain through his body and igniting his rage.

He lunged at the stunned vampire in front of him. Pride was one of Clancy's greatest sins. He would never have considered the fact that a plan of his wouldn't work, and so he was unprepared for that scenario. If he had been thinking, he would have shot Madden in the back, incapacitating him from the beginning.

Madden was in mid flight toward his enemy when Clancy snapped back to reality and pulled the trigger. It hit Madden in the shoulder, sending him crashing back to the floor. A bright light exploded in his vision for moments and he cried out, an almost inhuman howl. His left arm was limp and useless, but his right arm had landed mere inches from the silver wrapped piece of wood.

As Clancy stepped forward aiming his gun straight for the heart, Madden's hand reached out clasping the wood and bringing it down on Clancy's gun hand. The silver net didn't do much damage, but the gun was sent to the floor, and the other vampire was caught off his guard, trying to avoid full contact with the net. Madden took the opportunity to take possession of the weapon. He stood, quickly, pressing the gun to Clancy's temple.

"You made an unfortunate mistake. Off with the gloves." Clancy growled angrily at his defeat and stripped the gloves from his hands. "Now, pick up the net." He looked up at Madden in horror. "You can live with the burned flesh, or we can see how well you survive without your head. Pick it up."

Clancy grimaced and reached for the net now lying at his feet. He grunted and dropped his fangs as he took hold of the burning metal. With Clancy struggling to hold onto the net without screaming, Madden tugged the gloves onto his own hands. He motioned Clancy to the window. Placing the barrel of the gun to his temple once more.

"You said I wouldn't give you a chance. You were wrong. Perhaps you'll only be a little scorched when the workers find you." He took possession of the net and spread it over Clancy's body, huddled in front of the grand window. "I'll even cover you up." He threw a tarp over the weakened vampire, and made his way back to the service elevator.

Madden knew that Clancy would likely escape before dawn, but making him doubt it was half the torture. Madden grimaced at the pain lancing through his shoulder as he punched 10 on the keypad and rode down to his floor, hoping Sookie would feel obliged to shelter the wounded.


	8. A Treasure Hunt

As the doors opened on the tenth floor, Madden cautiously listened for any other guest who might be traveling down the hall. It was getting late but some of the hotel's guest kept long hours like him. When he was satisfied, he stepped out of the car and staggered down the hallway to Sookie's room. Every step he took jarred the silver bullet around in his shoulder and sent white pain up and down his arm.

He reached her door and leaned his head against its smooth surface, reaching up to rap twice.

"Is that you?" She called through the wood. He grunted, hoping she would take that as a yes instead of panicking and calling hotel security, or something equally stupid. To his relief the door gave way and he stumbled in, nearly colliding with her.

"Nice of you to drop by after hanging up one me. You could have… Oh, my Lord. What happened?" She quickly shut the door and dead bolted it, then stepped closer to where Madden had collapsed into one of the sitting chairs.

"Yes, sorry about that. I ran into our friend, Clancy." He began ripping at his t-shirt where the bullet had left a hole. "He's fond of silver bullets."

Sookie began thinking fast now. Silver bullets had been what led to Victor's death according to Mr. Byron. "Well, I hope he took the worst of it. Where is he?"

Madden smiled. "He's tied up at the moment – tangled in his own silver net – waiting for dawn." Sookie gasped and stepped back a bit. That was also Victor's killer's M.O. – left for the sun. "Don't worry. I left him covered up – and I have no doubt he'll escape well before sunrise. Should I have let him come back here with his gun and silver bullets?" Madden reached around to the back of his jeans and pulled out Clancy's gun.

"No, I'm glad you didn't. What do we need to do about that?" She pointed to the bullet wound.

"I'll heal quite nicely once the bullet is out. Of course I'd heal faster with some blood to aid me." He looked up at her in question. She crossed her arms and shook her head.

"No sir. I think I'll pass on that one. What can I do to get the bullet out?"

"It didn't penetrate far, you could pull it out with some tweezers probably. Or you could suck it out."

"I don't have tweezers." He began to grin. He'd been counting on that. "But I'll give it a try with my fingers first. This is probably going to hurt. Lie down and take your shirt off." His grin widened and his fangs came down a little.

At least the girl wasn't squeamish. She set about her task right away and searched the small hole for the even smaller bullet. "Does it hurt?" He clenched his jaw and nodded once. "I can feel it, I just can't get a grip on it." She braced herself for what she must do next. "You're really going to enjoy this, aren't you?"

"More than having silver burning me from the inside out. Yes." But he couldn't help the feeling of pleasure knowing his blood would soon be inside her. And she had done so willingly. She pressed her lips to his shoulder and drew on the wound. He thought momentarily that this must not be the first time she had partaken of vampire blood. After all, she had been married to one. But that was neither here nor there. He soon felt the metal dislodge and he was flooded with relief.

She spit the tinny, mangled piece of silver out in her palm. "You probably shouldn't lie on that side for a few days. But then, you can lie from any position, can't you?"

"Clever girl." He watched her walk into the bathroom to clean up. She came back with a steaming, damp towel and began to clean around the already healing wound.

"Are you really Victor Madden's brother?"

"Would you like to see my passport?"

"Yeah, like that'll prove anything. Bill had half a dozen of those, apparently. Have you got a first name?"

"Richard – Rick."

"Is there a Mrs. Madden?" She walked off once more to rinse the now bloody towel in the sink.

"Yes, but we're divorced."

"I thought that was Leif," she called from the bathroom.

"I'm just as difficult to live with as he was."

She walked back into the room and sat down in the chair next to Richard. "Rick, how can I tell if someone is lying?"

Rick stood up and strode though the connecting door to his room, searching for a fresh t-shirt. He pulled it over his head and returned to lean against the door jam just inside Sookie's room.

"You can't," he said plainly. She looked annoyed. "There's an old riddle about two tribes of Indians -- the Whitefeet always tell the truth and the Blackfeet always lie. One day you meet an Indian, you ask him if he's a truthful Whitefoot or a lying Blackfoot? He tells you he's a truthful Whitefoot, but which one is he?" Now she looked even more annoyed. Then a smile spread across her face.

"Look at his feet!"

He shakes his head at her. "He's wearing moccasins."

"Which one are you?" She asked him skeptically.

"I'm a truthful Whitefoot." He grinned.

"Come here and sit down." She motioned to the empty chair next to her. He did as she asked. She stood from her seat and moved to his lap. He stiffened slightly then let his hands rest on her waist. His blood was singing inside her and he could feel it. Perhaps he would be able to persuade her to let him have a sip.

She leaned down and began planting small kisses along his jaw. He decided to play coy. Wasn't that what human women wanted, a cat and mouse game? "Sookie, stop it…" he said softly.

"Oh, now's when you tell me I'm too young for you. But you forget I'm already a widow."

"You don't even want to know how old I am." She pulled back from her kissing momentarily.

"Why do you always have to be so serious all the time? It'd be nice to have a little fun." Those words were music to his ears. Fun with this one could certainly _prove_ very fun.

"Sookie." He tightened his grip on her waist. "Trust me, you wouldn't like me when I'm serious." He pulled her in closer and began kissing her on the lips. Softly at first, then more aggressively. Just as he could feel her excitement rising to dangerous levels, her phone began ringing.

He pulled it out of her back pocket and handed it to her as he began kissing her throat and collarbone, allowing her a chance to speak.

"Hello," she mumbled into the device.

"Mrs. Compton." It was Maxwell. "My associates and I would be pleased if you'd join us in room 1129 and have a little conversation." Rick pulled back as soon as he heard the vampire's voice through the receiver.

"Give me one good reason why I should." Though her words were strong, Sookie was shaking in his lap.

"A little boy, about seven or eight, keeps calling for his 'Aunt Sookie'. How cute is that?" Rick growled and Sookie struggled to her feet.

"Jason!" She reached down between the chairs and grabbed her purse. "I'll be right there." She closed the phone and looked pleadingly at Rick. "Amelia works late today. I usually pick him up after daycare. I completely forgot. They won't do anything to him, will they?"

"That depends on if they've eaten."

Jason sat on the edge of the dresser in Stan's room eagerly chattering about all the magic tricks he'd learned in Las Vegas and the stamp collection his mother had let him start last summer.

"Can you distract this kid, or shut him up?" Clancy was not a fan of human children. They were messy and annoying, and they smelled.

"Be quiet, kid." Maxwell instructed.

"Are you a real vampire?" the boy asked suddenly.

"Yes."

"Can I see your fangs?" Maxwell grinned and dropped his fangs a little, teasingly. "Wow." Jason was in awe.

"Will you put those away," Stan scolded from his post at the door. Suddenly there was a quick succession of knocks. Stan opened the door and Sookie rushed in, followed closely by a stoic Rick Madden.

"Jason!"

"Aunt Sookie!" Jason took the perilous hop down off the dresser before anyone could stop him. "These are real vampires. Uncle Bill wouldn't show me his fangs, but that one did. It was cool!"

Sookie knelt on the floor, holding Jason tightly. She was trying to suppress her tears of relief.

"Who invited you?" Clancy bared his fangs at Rick menacingly.

"Didn't like the view up on 17, Clancy?"

"Now, gentlemen," Stan held a hand out between them.

"I have to call Amelia. She'll be freaking out when she gets home." Sookie stood, taking Jason by the hand, and reached for her cell phone in her pocket.

"You're not calling anybody just yet, Mrs. Compton." Maxwell took a step closer to her.

"Amelia is his mother! She…"

"She won't be anybody's mother if you don't answer some questions!"

Stan and Clancy spoke up in unison, nearly drowning each other out.

"This isn't a game, Mrs. Compton!"

"We want that money, bitch!"

"Shut up! All of you!" Rick yelled forcefully. "And stop threatening the child. He obviously doesn't have the money. Neither does the woman."

"Then who does?" Clancy glared at Rick with pure hatred in his eyes.

"Maybe you have it, Clancy." Rick spoke quietly and it was frightening. Sookie began to believe what he had said about not liking him when he was serious. "Or Maxwell, or Stan. Any one of you could have it."

"Madden, That's so far off base…" Stan began speaking but Rick cut him off.

"What if one of you got to Bill before the others. You'd corner him in the airport, stake him and take the money."

"If one of us had that money, why the hell would we still be here looking for it?" Maxwell puffed out his chest as though he's shot a hole right through Rick's scenario.

"Well, you'd have to, Maxwell. If you left you'd be admitting your guilt. Better to wait until everyone gives up and goes home. Or you can find someone else to pin the theft on. Like Sookie, for example."

"Maybe you've got the money," Clancy growled.

"See if I had taken the money – before I met you gentlemen, of course – I could have just left and been done with it. No way to connect me to it. You think I'm stupid enough to get involved with you three if I had any other _fucking_ choice?!"

Sookie covered Jason's ears but he squirmed out of her hold.

"There's something wrong with you, I can smell it." Clancy turned to the others. "I say we search their rooms. Cut out all the middle man bullshit."

"That's a novel idea, Clancy. I'm pleased to see that brain working after all. And why don't we search your rooms?"

"Not mine!" Clancy yelled directly into Rick's face. Sookie was afraid she and Jason were about to witness a vampire brawl, but Rick was better at keeping his temper than she'd expected.

"Got something to hide?" He raised his eyebrow skeptically. When Clancy declined to answer, Rick removed his key card from his pocket. "Guess we better exchange these, then, gentlemen."

Keycards were exchanged and the three vampires dispersed to Sookie and Rick's rooms.

"I'll take Maxwell's room, while you and Jason check Clancy's. We'll meet up back here," Rick instructed.

"Ok. I'm going to call Amelia before we get started."

"Do I have to go back home now?" Jason whined.

"You can hang out as long as it takes your mom to get here. Let me call her and then we can go on a treasure hunt, ok?" The boy nodded and the three of them left Stan's room.

Clancy had been eager to take the assignment of searching Madden's room. Stan and Maxwell took Sookie's. Immediately they located the brown paper sack containing Bill's belongings, stuffed in the back corner of the closet.

"Will you look at that?" Maxwell reached down to retrieve the bag.

"But it couldn't be as easy as that." Stan was skeptical but they wasted no time emptying the contents onto the bed and sifting through them. "Should we call Clancy?"

"What for? If it's not here, why bother him?" Maxwell grinned greedily.

"And if it is here?"

"Why bother him."

"Look," Stan held up a neatly printed piece of paper. "The police have kindly provided us with a list of items."

"Anything missing?" Maxwell lifted and inspected each item meticulously.

"No. Not a thing. It's all here."

"And not a single item is worth 2.8 million, nor any combination. You don't think Madden is right, do you?"

"You think one of us has it?" Stan took a defensive posture.

"You know I'd tell you if I had it." Maxwell began placing the items back in the bag.

"Beyond a doubt. And I would tell you if I had it." Stan smiled broadly. "And, of course, Clancy would tell us."

"Absolutely," they said in unison.

Sookie and Jason made their way into Clancy's room. There were clothes and empty bottles of blood everywhere. Sookie hated the thought of cleaning up after such a horrible creature, but she justified it by looking after Jason. She gathered the bottles into the trash and shoved his piles of laundry into the bottom of the closet.

"Ok. If you had to hide a treasure – oh, your stamp collection! – If you had to hide your stamp collection in this room, where would you hide it?"

Jason studied the room, walking from wall to wall, opening cabinets and even crawling under the bed. Suddenly he ran over to Sookie, grabbing her sleeve. "Up there, Aunt Sookie." He pointed to the vent cover on the bulkhead next to the ceiling. The cover was sitting a few inches out from the wall and a screw was missing.

"You might be right, kiddo. Help me move that chair over this way."

Stan and Maxwell had made their way back to Stan's room and Rick was on his way when Jason came running out of Clancy's room, shouting, "We found it! We found it! C'mon, we found it!" The three vampires quickly flooded into Clancy's room, where Sookie sat patiently on the bed.

"Where is it?" Rick asked, kneeling in front of her.

"We didn't find it." She shook her head. She had a disgusted look on her face.

"It's up there, Aunt Sookie! Didn't you look?" The three vampires shot glances to the vent cover on the floor, up to the bulkhead and the open vent, then over to Sookie.

"There's nothing up there. See for yourself." She reached for Jason as Stan climbed the chair and reached his hand into the open duct. He pulled out a black canvas bag and Sookie turned Jason around to face her instead of the vampires and their find.

"There is something in here, and it's heavy." Stan lowered the bag to the floor and knelt to open it. "Horseshit! It's just Clancy's weapon stash." The bag contained various stakes, knives – both silver and steel – guns, silver bullets and silver chains. "Where is Clancy, anyway?"

"He's in my room," Rick stood, grasping Sookie's hand. She looked up at him, feeling some sense of trust coming back.

They made their way down in the elevator To Rick's room. The vampires approached the door, standing open. Rick stopped moving forward and the other two took a defensive stance.

"I smell ash," Stan announced.

"Sookie, you better take Jason and wait for Amelia downstairs." Rick motioned for her to turn back to the elevator, but she hesitated. "Trust me. Go." He had a look in his eye that said she didn't want to see what was behind the hotel room door. She took Jason and made her way down to the lobby.

The three vampires entered the room cautiously, fangs down, nerves wound tightly. Nothing showed much evidence of a fight in the main part of the room. Rick carefully opened the bathroom door and stuck his head in. "Oh. There's Clancy." He backed away and allowed the others to have a look for themselves. There was vampire sludge and ash splattered on every surface of the small lavatory. His clothing was a sloppy mess laying half in, and half out of the shower.

"Who'd he ever piss off enough to do this to him?" Maxwell asked with a thick hint of sarcasm.

"It's not my room," Stan folded his arms and glared at Madden.

"Nor mine," Maxwell confirmed.

"If I had killed him, I would be covered in him. Just like the walls." Madden held his hands up in a gesture of peace. "Wasn't me."

"What are we going to do with him?" Maxwell asked.

"Down the toilet and the shower drain sounds excellent to me." Madden looked form Maxwell to Stan for approval.

"I think that suits Clancy just fine," Stan nodded and reached to turn on the shower.


	9. The Long Con

The next night when Rick knocked on the connecting doorway he found Sookie pacing her room.

"I just can't figure this out. It's driving me crazy."

"I think you need to get out." She looked harried and tired. He was sure she hadn't been sleeping and, from the looks of the room, she hadn't left all day. He waited while she got straightened up to go out and they headed downstairs.

"Where are we going?" She sighed as they rode the elevator down to the lobby.

"Wherever you like, but you need some air. How about we start by walking the block, then we'll go from there." He took her hand and led her toward the front exit. She pulled back slightly as they passed the coffee shop.

"It's chilly out there. I feel like a hot chocolate." She smiled sweetly and how could he deny her such a simple request? They took a detour into the shop. "I'd like a hot chocolate. The big one," she said when the barista asked for her order. She had never gotten used to the Starbucks system of measure. They prepared the drink quickly and Rick and Sookie were soon out on the sidewalk, making their way around the corner.

"Who do you think did it?" She asked as she took the lid off the cup and blew to cool the steaming liquid. Rick shook his head. "You think it was Stan?"

"I don't know." Rick kept his eyes ahead of him.

"Well, maybe it was Maxwell?"

"I don't know."

"Well you're not any help, are you?" She smiled up at him as he chuckled and shook his head, wondering exactly what she would have done if he hadn't been willing to help her navigate through this mess. "I think Maxwell did it."

"Why?" He was intrigued.

"Because I really think it was Stan and in the mystery novels, it's always the person you don't suspect."

"Do women think it's feminine to be so illogical, or can't they help it?" He was trying to wrap his mind around the way this strange creature worked. He had never encountered anyone quite like her.

"What's so illogical?" She sounded a bit annoyed. She didn't like being called into question, much like himself.

"Well, if it's the person you least suspect – Maxwell, because you really suspect Stan – then by the same thinking, it must be Stan, because you now suspect Maxwell. Ridiculously circuitous." She skipped ahead to stand in front of him, stopping him in his path. "You see? Illogical." He smiled widely. She reached her hand out to shove him in the shoulder, hot chocolate sloshing out of her open cup and running onto his silk sweater.

"Oh. My Lord, I'm so sorry!" She began trying to brush the liquid off the sweater only aiding in the soiling process. "I'm making it worse."

"I'll send you my dry cleaning bill." Rick brushed it off and they continued walking.

"Rick, I'm scared."

"Don't worry, I won't bite you for it."

"Scared about Clancy. Who'd want to kill him? Well, I mean I'm sure there are a few reasons, but…"

"Maybe someone thought four shares were too many."

"Well then what makes you think they'll be satisfied with three?" She was starting to tense. He could feel his blood inside her reverberating with it. "That means we're all on a hit list. First your brother, then Bill, and Clancy. Who's next?"

"I think you need an evening with some semblance of the ordinary. Let's go back to the hotel and change. I'm taking you to dinner."

She reluctantly agreed and they made their way back to their rooms. Once she had slipped off her shoes and stowed her purse on one of the chairs, Sookie walked over to the connecting doorway. She knocked.

"What?" Came Ricks voice through the barrier.

"How come you didn't invite me in?"

He smiled to himself on the other side of the door. "Because you're becoming obsessed. I'll never get a shower if you don't leave me alone." He was determined to make her want him all the more for his feigned disinterest.

"Wouldn't you rather use my shower? I wouldn't want to step foot in there after last night. Besides…" she hesitated. "I don't want to be alone."

"I'm only next door. If anything happens, scream and I'll be right there." He moved away from the door toward the bathroom, anticipating the look on her face when he would see her again.

Sookie took several paces back into her room, standing clear of the door, took a deep breath, and let out a scream, as good as she could improvise on the spot. Rick came rushing through the door, nearly taking it off it's hinges. As he was looking from side to side, trying to identify the threat, she hurried to the doorway, shut and locked it.

"Got you!" for a moment there was a look of confusion on the vampires face, before it transformed into a toothy grin, complete with fully extended fangs.

"Ever heard of the boy who cried wolf, Sookie?"

"Shower's in there." She motioned to the bathroom. To her surprise he slipped his shoes off one at a time and headed that direction.

"What are you doing?" she asked

"Taking a shower."

"Shut the door," she shouted.

"You said you didn't want to be alone." Without taking any of his clothing off, he stepped into the shower, and turned on the water.

"What the…?" Sookie stood there watching him lather his now soaking sweater and rinsing off the suds. "You're crazy."

"No, I told you, it's a drip dry, remember?"

Sookie shook her head in disbelief. Her phone began ringing and she shut the bathroom door to muffle the sound of the vampire showering before she answered.

"Mrs. Compton?" It was Seth Byron. Sookie had left a message for him on his voice mail that morning, explaining the identity of Rick Madden.

"Yes."

"I've done some research, spoken to some vampires in the King's employ, and nobody knows of or believes of the existence of this Rick Madden. As far as everyone knows, and according to your husband's database, Victor Madden had no brother – either in life or as a vampire."

Sookie swallowed hard. "Could there be some mistake?" She was pretty sure that wasn't possible. In her experience vampires were very thorough.

"That's not really a possibility." He seemed to have read her mind. "I must warn you again, Mrs. Compton, be very careful." Byron disconnected without another word and Sookie closed her phone and placed it back in her pocket.

Rick emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later with a towel rapped around his hips. "I left my drip dry dripping. Are you ready to go eat? I can grab a shirt and pants from my room without you getting scared, can't I?"

"Mhm," she murmured.

"Where am I taking you?" he shouted through the connecting doorway.

"Lets go someplace crowded. I feel like a lot of people."

An hour later they were seated at The Cheesecake Factory, and waiting on Sookie's meal to arrive. Sookie kept fiddling with her flatware and folding and unfolding her napkin, while Rick sipped quietly at his bottle of blood.

"Sookie. Sookie?" She glanced up at him them back to her bread plate. "You haven't said a word since we sat down. What's wrong with you?"

"I'm just thinking about Bill and Clancy. Wondering who'll be next… Me? You have any idea who the killer is?"

Her accusation wasn't unexpected exactly, but it did take him off guard. "No. Not yet. Are you insinuating that I killed Bill and Clancy?" His tone was even. He knew it was imperative to remain calm, or else he'd get nowhere with Sookie. He couldn't afford to loose his temper now. "What do I have to do to satisfy you? Become the next victim?"

"It's a start."

"I can't seem to understand you, Sookie. One minute you chasing me around the hotel room, the next you're accusing me of murder. Please explain yourself."

"Me, explain myself? How about you?" she hissed under her breath. "Victor Madden had no brother."

"Well. I can explain that, if you'll just calm down and listen." Voice, even. Face, calm.

The waitress chose that moment to deliver Sookie's Crusted Chicken Romano. After she had sat the plate down and left, Sookie made a gesture for him to continue.

"Get ready for the story of my life as a vampire."

"Fiction or non-fiction. Usually I'd go for fiction but in this case…"

"Hush." He sneered at her, and she began eating, implying he should go on. "When I was a young vampire, my maker was dispatched soon after I was turned. I was left without property, a lair, or any money with which to procure them. I realized I had a talent for making people believe what I wanted them to believe – above and beyond the vampire glamor. I started searching out those individuals who had a lot of money. Mainly those who wouldn't miss it much."

"You mean you're a thief?"

"I believe you would refer to what I do as a confidence game. But for all intents and purposes, yes." He grinned that grin that showed his perfectly white teeth and a hint of fang. The one that sent chills to Sookie's core – in a good way, of course.

"So I guess it's goodbye Richard Madden and welcome back Leif Joshua, huh?"

"Actually," He laughed a little as Sookie let out a groan. "It's Alexander Eriksson – Alex. But the vampire is the same, no matter the name."

"That's not true. Alex Eriksson is a con man and I want to know why."

"That's simple. I like what I do. There aren't many men who enjoy their work as much as I do. I challenge you to find one."

"I'm afraid to ask. Is there a Mrs. Eriksson?"

"Yes, but…"

"'We're divorced'. I knew it. And to think, all this time you were just leading me on." She shook her head as she took another bite of her pasta.

"How was I leading you on?" Alex raised his brows in question.

"All that rejection… you knew I couldn't resist it. And all along all you were after was the money."

"Yes." With his answer she dropped her fork noisily onto her plate, looking hurt. "Well what would you like me to say? That a beautiful woman means more to me than nearly three million dollars?"

"I guess that's fair. Money talks."

"I won't deny, you've made it hard for me to stay focused."

"Uh uhh. I don't believe it." She shook her head, though a beautiful blush began to spread across her cheeks.

"You have no idea how hard it's been for me to keep my fangs off of you."

"I suppose that's supposed to be a compliment."

"You know very well what a compliment that really is." Sookie pushed her plate away as her blush spread.

"I'm not hungry anymore. I think I'd like to go back to the hotel."

Alex paid the bill and pulled the car around front to pick up Sookie. She placed her hand on his as they left the parking lot and drove the few blocks back to the hotel. In the elevator on the ride up to their rooms, her smell, and the signals he was receiving from his blood inside of her, caused him to venture further than he had intended tonight. He turned to face her, backing her into a corner of the small car.

He inhaled her scent in the enclosed space, searching her face for permission to take things further. Before he had a chance to lean closer she stood on her toes, wrapping an arm around his neck, and pulled his mouth to hers. It was a quick, awkward sort of kiss, and she released him too soon for his liking.

"When you come on, you come on." he laughed softly.

"Oh, we both know you're not taken. Nobody can catch up with you."

"Don't worry. You're gaining." He smiled, and leaned down for another kiss. This time he was in control and he was not going to let it end before it had to.

At five o'clock with just under two hours till sunrise, Stan received a call on his room phone. "Hello? What do you…? Can't this wait till tomorrow evening? We haven't got much time. I'll meet you there." He collected his coat and the silver tipped blade he had lifted from Clancy's bag of tricks, and headed down the hall to the elevators.

Sookie was roused from a sleep by the sound of police sirens. She had drifted off a few hours ago, and now propped herself up on an elbow, looking around the dim hotel room. Alex was standing in front of the window in a pair of cotton boxers.

"They're coming here." He answered her unasked question. "I don't like it. I'm going down to see what I can find out."

"I'll go with you," she reached to the floor beside her bed and pulled on her sweater dress from last night. Alex had pants and a shirt on by the time she was dressed and they made their way to the lobby together.

They stepped out of the elevator into chaos. There was already crime scene tape cordoning off another elevator entrance. There were police, guests and hotel staff milling around. Sookie searched the crowd for Stan and Maxwell, but saw neither.

"What's going on?" She looked up at Alex, but his eyes were glued on the grisly scene across from them. Another guest overheard her.

"Some vamp got staked in the elevator. It was all over by the time the doors opened down here."

She looked from the guest, to the elevator in question, and finally back up at Alex. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. Then they turned and headed back up to their rooms.

Sookie turned on the television as soon as the door was dead bolted.

"Though no remains to speak of are left – as is to be expected in a vampire homicide – the victim has been tentatively identified by his clothing and VDL as Stan Davis, a resident of Dallas, TX. No word yet as to who the suspected murderer may be or what his motives are. Though it is clear the cause of death was staking. Channel five news will keep you updated as the story unfolds."

Sookie hit the mute button. "It's Maxwell, Alex. He's the killer."

"I've tried his cell phone and his room number already. I'm going to look for him."

"But it's almost daylight. You can't go out now."

"Do you think if the police find him first we'll ever see a cent of that money? I'll find somewhere to shelter for the day. I promise you that. The money is no good to me if I'm too dead to use it."

"Alex, that money isn't yours. It's not mine and it's not Maxwell's."

"Go back to sleep," he bent to kiss her on the forehead. "I'll call you first thing in the evening." He made his way from her bedroom to his to retrieve his keys and cell phone. As he was slipping the phone into his pocket it rang.

"Yes."

"Madden, it's becoming clearer and clearer to me who has the money. And I'm not giving up until I get my share – a share that keeps growing it seems."

"Where are you, old friend." Alex was smiling but straining to keep the venom out of his voice.

"If you want to find me, keep looking over your shoulder. I'll be there. And if you're smart, you'll hand over the money when you see me. I may let you keep your life and the woman's as well." Without waiting for a response, Maxwell hung up the phone.

Alex stepped back into Sookie's bedroom. She was curled up amongst the covers, eyes glued to the muted screen.

"We may have been wrong about Maxwell. It seems he's still looking for the money, and he's convinced we have it. Where's that evidence bag? We need to go through it again."

"Alex, everybody and their Gran's been through that bag. You'd think someone would have found it by now." But she stood to retrieve the bag from her closet. Alex dumped the contents onto the bed and they began sifting through everything.

"CD, jump drive. Wallet. Keys – safety deposit box key?" He asked, jingling the key chain in front of Sookie.

"Nope. Car and apartment. They match mine exactly."

"Pants, shirt and shoes. One ticket to Ecuador. Letter to you." She removed the letter from it's envelope and read over it again. "Nothing useful." Alex was growing impatient. There had to be something they had missed, he just wasn't seeing it.

"I don't think any of these things is worth 2.8 million dollars. Nobody liked The Grateful Dead that much." Sookie leaned back against her pillows and let out a long sigh.

"There's no point in me going after Maxwell now. He hasn't got it. It's nearly dawn and I must take cover. See what you can think of during the day. You have work this evening, no?"

"Yeah, first night back at the bar. At least there'll be plenty of people around. It's hard to kill someone anonymously in a public place."

"I will meet you there after dark, and accompany you back here. We'll see what we can find out after that. Try to sleep." He kissed her hand and retreated into his light tight hotel room for the day, locking the connecting door behind him.

Sookie lay awake in bed for several more hours, trying desperately to come up with some kind of answer – any answer – to this riddle. She finally drifted off to sleep about ten in the morning, dreaming of the few hours she had spent with Alex in the bed next to her.


	10. Answers

A/N: Final chapter, dears. Hope you enjoy it, and I hope some of you have sought out the original work. I've watched it over and over these past few days, and I still can't get enough. I hope I did it justice.

Enjoy

~Yve

***

"Well, it's good to have you back, Sook." Sam smiled as she picked up her order from him at the bar. "Nobody cover's your section as quick and well as you. Not even Amelia," he whispered, glad his girlfriend wasn't there tonight to hear it.

"Sam, you don't have to go out of your way to try and make me feel welcome. I'm glad to be back. It gives me something to do." She took her drinks and headed over her table, watching the barely legal men in the booth ogle her as she passed their beers around. She turned and headed to the front with a menu as she heard the door open. She was relieved to see Alex standing there, looking around the bar awkwardly.

"Alex," she rushed forward. "Did you find out anything else?"

"Miss. Can I get another Diet Coke?"

"Oh. Sorry, Alex."

"No. You're working. I'll wait." He squeezed her arm and looked around for a spot to sit.

"Over there's my section. I'll be right with you." She smiled and hustled off to see to her other tables once more before speaking with Alex.

"I was able to go through Maxwell's room before the hotel realized he'd vacated," he announced as she came over to the booth in the back corner with a bottle of blood for him. "Does this look familiar?" He passed a wrinkled piece of paper to her across the table.

"This is the list of Bill's things in the evidence bag the police gave me."

"Take a closer look at that list. Were all of those itms there when we looked last night?"

It took her a moment to recall the items laid out across her bed. "The PDA! It wasn't there last night!"

"Maxwell must have broken in and taken it while we were downstairs with the other guests. Did you have a look at it when the police turned it over?" She nodded. "Do you remember anything that might matter?"

"Order up," Terry called from the kitchen.

"Sorry." Sookie apologized. "Be right back."

He watched her pick up the platter from the kitchen pass through and walk across the dinning area to an old fat woman, who certainly wasn't in need of the chicken fried stake with extra mashed potatoes and gravy. She nearly dropped the plate in the woman's lap as she turned and shouted across the room.

"Freret Market, 8 PM!" She rushed over, ignoring the patrons and employees now staring at her. "It's 7 now. Can we make it." She had come to the same conclusion as Alex – if they were going to find the money they had to retrace Bill's steps, starting with the market.

"Just. But we must hurry." He watched her untie her apron and shove it into the hands of a redheaded waitress with a sour look on her face.

"I'm so sorry, Sam! I'll explain later!"

Alex pulled the car into a parking spot about a block from the market and they walked the rest of the way. The market was crowded still, with four hours left to closing.

"Now what?" Sookie asked.

"Now we look for anything strange, out of the ordinary. Something that might attract Bill's attention. You were married to him – what do you see?"

Sookie scanned the crow. The booths were full of handmade items, market fresh produce, toys, jewelry, antiques. Nothing techie. Nothing she thought might interest Bill. "I don't know." She shook her head in defeat. She was tired of trying to solve this one. She was tired of running. Alex squeezed her hand.

"Well, there's someone who might have an idea." He pointed across the street to where Maxwell Lee was standing, looking around the market in the same hope as them. "You stay right here. I'm going to talk to him."

"Just talk?"

"Sookie, please." He smiled and headed across the street.

Alex began crossing the street as he noticed Maxwell staring at something with rapt attention. Before he was halfway there, Maxwell leapt through the crowd and hurried toward the exit of the market. He rushed past Alex bumping his shoulder in the process. "Sorry friend. I'm in a rush!" He left Alex in the middle of the crowd, eager to follow him, but not wanting to draw attention from the law enforcement among the crowd.

Instead his eyes followed the path to what Maxwell had been studying. Across the street diagonally sat a group of nearly two-dozen booths. Each advertised their many rare and valuable collectible stamps.

"The letter," he growled. He assessed his options in a split second. Navigating the crowd on foot and then the streets in the corvette was ridiculous to even consider. His best option was to find a secluded ally and take to the sky. It was his only chance to beat Maxwell to the hotel, and take possession of the stamps.

Sookie milled around on the street corner impatiently. She had lost sight of Alex and Maxwell behind a crowd of tourists. She hopped they weren't having the final knockdown drag out in an ally somewhere.

"Sookie!" She turned around at the sound of her name. It was Amelia, heading toward her, shopping bags in hand. "What are you doing here? Sam's frantic. He called and said you just ran out with some tall blond guy."

"I'll have to apologize later. Alex and I are here trying to track down that money. Bill had an appointment here on Sunday. We thought if we could figure out where or with who we might be able to track down the money. Why are you here? Shopping?"

Alex landed on Sookie's balcony, not wanting to waste time with the elevator. When he opened the door, Maxwell was sitting on the edge of the bed. Holding the envelope in his hand.

"Maxwell, give me the letter."

"Oh, the letter isn't worth a thing and you know it."

"The envelope, the stamps. Hand them over."

"Madden, you're a fucking idiot. A sex crazed moron. They were both too devious for us and you fell for it!"

"What are you talking about?" He was growing impatient.

"First Compton, now his crazy wife. She batted those big blue eyes at you and you actually fell for it. You want the envelope. Here. Have at it. It's all yours and you certainly earned it." He handed the envelope to Alex.

His sight became clouded with anger as he looked down at the paper where the postage should be. The corner had been neatly clipped out, the stamps removed.

"Look at you're face! You of all people got conned by your mark! And you killed all three of them for nothing. Good vampire's all of them! Well, fuck you, Madden. You can't protect her any more."

Alex didn't stick around to listen to any more threats. He left out the balcony door and flew back to the market in search of Sookie.

"Yeah, the shopping here is nice and this is where Jason likes to come and look at stamps." Amelia and Sookie were crossing the street in the direction that Alex had disappeared.

"Stamps! Jesus, Shepherd of Judea! Where is he, Amelia? Where's Jason?"

"What's wrong Sookie? Why…?"

"I gave Jason some stamps. Does he just collect them or would he trade them for others?" Just then Jason came running up to the women.

"Aunt Sookie! Look at all the stamps I got for just those three you gave me!"

"Jason, no!" He looked at her, confused that she wasn't excited for his fortune. "Where did you trade those? Take me to the booth."

"Do I have to give them back?" Jason looked upset.

"No, honey. We'll pay for them, ok? I just need those three little stamps back."

Jason took off across the block and the two women followed close behind. He stopped in front of a booth that was being locked up by the owner. The elderly man turned to face the three of them. "I thought you'd be back. Those three were far too valuable to be traded here. And for what I gave the young man. I'm sorry. I was very excited to see them. Please wait one moment."

Amelia looked skeptically at Sookie as she pulled Jason to stand closer to her. Sookie shrugged, not willing to get into an explanation just now.

The man returned from inside his booth, bringing the three stamps with him, now neatly protected in a plastic sleeve. "These are very rare stamps you have given me the pleasure of studying. Though they do not belong to me, I was pleased to look after them for a few moments. This is the British Guiana 1 cent Magenta, valued at $935,000, the Inverted Jenny, valued at $525,000, and the most expensive of the three, the Inverted Head Four Annas, valued at $1,340,000. Please take them with my apologies."

"Please let me pay you for the stamps you gave my nephew." Sookie took her wallet out of her purse and waited for the total.

"It was an international starter package. It's thirty dollars." She paid the man and said goodbye to Amelia, promising to call her and explain everything in the morning. She ran out to the street and caught a cab, not wanting to wait for Alex at the car. He could meet her at the hotel.

Sookie took her cell phone out of her back pocket as she approached her hotel room door. It was standing open and she had learned this week to proceed with caution. "Alex?" There was no answer. It sounded as if there was no one in the room. She gently pushed the door open and ventured inside. The first thing she focused on was the telltale sign of a dead vampire. She was becoming desensitized to death these days, but it still turned her stomach.

She took a few steps closer. It suddenly hit her that the remains she was looking at could belong to Alex, and she was determined to prove herself wrong. She mustered her courage and reached down to pick up the suit jacket in the middle of the pile of vampire goo. When she did, about a dozen silver bullets shook out of the fabric. She discarded the jacket, satisfied that it must be Maxwell who had met his end in her bedroom – since the jacket was too wide to have belonged to Alex – and knelt to inspect the bullets.

She noticed something as she collected the little fragments of silver. The nap of the carpet beside the worst part of the mess had been disturbed. Something had been written in the rug like a drawing in the sand. M-A-D-D-E-N. Sookie gasped and dropped the bullets to the floor. She retrieved her cell phone and took out that damned card for Seth Byron.

"Mr. Byron, It's Sookie."

"You sound positively frantic. What is going on?"

"Frantic isn't the word I would use. Try terrified. Maxwell Lee has just been killed… in my hotel room. By Alex."

"I'm sorry, who's Alex?"

"Oh, you don't know. That's the man who was claiming to be Rick Madden. His real name is Alex Eriksson, only Maxwell didn't know it and before he died he wrote out the name Madden." Sookie was near tears.

"Calm down Mrs. Compton. Do you know where this 'Alex' is now?"

"Oh, he's probably looking for me now. I have the stamps… the money, I mean. Bill took all that money and he bought some very rare stamps. They were the postage on the letter he wrote me."

"Mrs. Compton, you aren't safe as long as you have that money. It's best you get it to us at the VFA immediately. It would be quicker if we met halfway. I can leave now. Do you know where Shreveport North Memorial Park is?"

"Yes. That's just a few blocks from here."

"I'll see you soon, Mrs. Compton, and this will all be over." Mr. Byron hung up the phone, and Sookie rushed downstairs and headed to the cemetery.

Alex found no trace of her back at the market. Depending on where she had gone, her trail could be cold by now. But as long as she had those stamps, he hadn't failed. The second she sold them, however, he'd be back at square one, having to track them down once again.

He retrieved the corvette and made his way across town to the hotel, hoping to find some clue as to where she'd gone. About four blocks from the building, he began to get an uneasy feeling. It was as if Sookie were calling out to him, but he knew it was his blood inside of her. She was close. He parked the car on the street and moved quietly through the dark to where he felt her.

Sookie had just entered the cemetery – creepy place – and was standing behind the large columns up front, waiting for Mr. Byron. She peered around them and spotted a familiar figure lurking across the street. His back was turned but she was sure it was Alex. She quickly ducked back behind the column again. She reached deep into her purse beginning to look for the card to Call Mr. Byron and warn him. It wasn't there. Her mind flashed back to her hotel room, where the card lay in the pile of vampire goo next to the pieces of silver.

"Shit," she muttered under her breath. She began making her way deeper into the cemetery. She couldn't risk Alex hearing her making this call. She dialed information. "Shreveport AVL, please." She waited, pacing between the headstones, for an answer at the AVL. "Yes, please connect me to Mr. Byron's office."

"I'm sorry Miss, but Mr. Byron isn't in today."

"He's on his way to Shreveport North Memorial Park. I'm waiting to meet him and someone is trying to kill me. Please page him or something!"

"Miss, I can't hear you. Can you repeat that?"

"Please send the police over to Shreveport North Memorial Park right away! Someone is trying to kill me!"

"Ma'am, you'll have to speak up… did you say someone is trying to kill…" Sookie hung up the phone. She didn't have time to argue with a receptionist, and she was beginning to feel as though someone was following her. She crouched down behind a large family marker and tried to breath as quietly as possible.

"Sookie, I know you're there. What have you done with the stamps?" Alex was about twenty feet away now. "Sookie. It's no use hiding from me and you know it. I can feel you. Just come out and talk to me. Please."

"Why? So you can kill me too?"

"What are you talking about?" If he could keep her talking he could pinpoint her location among the graves.

"I know you killed Maxwell. He wrote 'Madden' before he died."

"I'm not Madden and you know it. Don't be ridiculous." He was closing the distance now.

"I'm not being ridiculous. Maxwell didn't know you weren't him."

"Stop this now, Sookie! I didn't kill anyone!" less than ten feet, now.

"Then who did? You're the only one left!" Sookie heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Mr. Byron approaching. She stood up and began backing towards him, letting Alex see her now. But everything would be fine with Mr. Byron there. The police should arrive soon, too. "Mr. Byron! That's Alex Eriksson. He's the one who's been killing them all!"

"Sookie, don't! That's Victor Madden!" Alex began moving faster toward the two figures in front of him, until he noticed a stake in the other vampire's hand. Sookie stood looking between the two of them, stunned.

"We all know Victor Madden is dead, Mrs. Compton."

"Victor." Alex growled.

"No. I've seen him at the AVL." Sookie stood there shaking her head.

"Don't be an idiot, Sookie. That's Victor! Maxwell recognized him and that's why he wrote Madden."

"That's right, I'm a dead man." He laughed at his horrible pun. "Are you going to let him talk to you like that, Mrs. Compton? Come over this way and hand over those stamps."

"If you give him those stamps, he'll kill you."

"Why should I believe you this time?" She shouted.

"There's no reason in the world why you should." Alex stood motionless. The ball was in her court. All he could do was wait for her to make a move and react accordingly. He just hoped she would make the right one.

She stood there, looking back and forth between the vampire who stood patiently across the cemetery and the one clutching the stake menacingly behind her. She turned back to Alex and nodded her head slightly just once, in acceptance of his story, and began to take a step toward him. He was poised to place himself between Sookie and the other vampire, and then Victor spoke.

"I'll kill you, Mrs. Compton. A stake to the heart will prove fatal even to a human."

"If you killed her, you would still have to retrieve those stamps, and I'm not likely to miss at this range." Alex pulled out Clancy's gun, newly loaded with silver ammunition.

"Maybe not, but it takes a lot of bullets to kill me. They left me there with five of them in my legs and my stomach. They knew I was still alive but they left me. It took me five hours to make it to relative shelter and I was still burned. I spent ten months recovering in seclusion. But they paid for it. All of them paid for it. And that money belongs to me. I will have it!"

"Alex!" Sookie took off at a run toward him, but Victor was true to his word. He launched the stake like a throwing knife, catching Sookie in the ribs, the force of the blow bringing her down instantly.

Alex and Victor were drawn powerfully together to the spot where she lay. As Victor reached out to snatch his prize from her fingers, Alex aimed his weapon and fired. The bullet found its way home to Victor's heart, and another took off his head. He began to disintegrate immediately. Victor Madden was finally dead.

He heard Sookie moaning beside him, and relief washed over him at the realization that she remained alive. "I guess they're yours now," she mumbled deliriously.

Alex pulled her into his arms, careful not to disturb the wood protruding from her side, and carried her back to the car.

As Sookie awoke the next evening she felt sore and weak, uncertain of her surroundings. She seemed to be in an office somewhere. She was bundled up in blankets on a comfortable sofa. She looked across the room to where Alex was sitting behind a desk, sifting through papers and talking on the telephone.

"Yes. She's awake now, Pam. Goodbye." He hung up the phone and moved to sit on the edge of the couch next to Sookie.

"Where are we?" She asked groggily.

"We're in my office."

"I didn't think con men had offices."

"Well, see, 'con man' is only part of the job description. I'm Area 5 Sheriff – over Shreveport and the surrounding parishes." He grinned.

"I don't suppose you're name is really Alex, is it?" Sookie scooted back to sit against the arm of the couch. "Hey. What happened to those stamps? And that stake?" She gripped her side as a wave of dull pain flashed there.

"The stake was removed. I have a friend that is familiar with such unusual injuries. And you had to consume a good deal of my blood in order to heal as well as you have. A few more doses would be optimal, of course. But that is up to you." A look of anger crossed Sookie's face before fading into a small smile.

"I guess you saved my life, huh?"

"As for the stamps. They have been acquired by the King. He sent me after the money when he heard Victor was still alive. He has enough in his royal treasury that the money became less of an issue when he learned of the stamps. He's somewhat of a collector. He values rare things."

"I don't know how I feel about the money not going back to the AVL, but as long as everybody's off my back, there's not much else I can do." He simply shook his head, happy that she wasn't going to put up a fight. "So what's your name today?"

"Eric Northman."

"And why should I believe that?"

"I'll put it on a marriage license later in the week. How about that?"

"Oh, don't dismiss me so quickly. Why am I supposed to believe you're the Sheriff either? … Did you say 'marriage license'?"

His fangs came down and he graced her with his full, beautiful vampire grin. She reached her hands up and around his neck, pulling him toward her, turning her head up for a kiss.


End file.
